Strong Like a Woman Podcast

Join Jenna Topham, Rosie Cardale, and Jess from Oyster and Olive Doula for an empowering conversation about navigating birth choices and making truly informed decisions during pregnancy and labour.In this episode, we explore what it really means to have informed consent in the birthing room, how to advocate for yourself within the healthcare system, and the tools you need to make decisions that align with your values and preferences. Our guest, Jess, shares her professional expertise and personal insights on understanding your options—from place of birth and pain management to interventions and birth positions.Whether you're planning your first birth or supporting someone through theirs, this discussion offers practical guidance on asking the right questions, understanding the evidence, and feeling confident in your choices. We dive into the importance of surrounding yourself with supportive care providers, the role of doulas in the decision-making process, and how to prepare for the unexpected while staying grounded in your birth preferences.Tune in for an honest, informative conversation that puts autonomy and knowledge at the heart of the birth experience.

Our in-house women's health physiotherapist Rosie takes the lead this week as she guides you through a realistic and supportive journey of C‑section recovery.What You’ll Learn:* Typical timelines & realistic expectations: 
* Practical healing strategies: 
* Regaining mobility & of strength: 
Rosie offers realistic hope, not pressure—highlighting that recovery after birth (of any kind!) isn’t about bouncing back fast, but growing stronger with intention and care.

Protein isn’t just for bodybuilders — it’s the foundation for strength, energy, recovery, and long-term health. In this episode, we break down exactly how much protein women should be eating to maximize the rewards of their workouts, support fat loss, and build lean muscle mass.From your 20s through post-menopause, we’ll dive into how protein needs shift at different stages of life and why it’s such a game-changer for women’s health. Plus, we share practical, real-life strategies for what to eat, when to eat it, and how to make protein-rich meals simple (and delicious) in everyday life.Whether you’re lifting heavy, running marathons, or just want to feel stronger and more energized, this conversation will help you fuel your body like the powerhouse it is.


In this enlightening episode, we sit down with Carla, a breath expert with over 25 years of experience, to explore one of the most overlooked pillars of women’s health—breathing. Carla shares how the way we breathe can profoundly affect our physical and mental wellbeing, contributing to brain fog, anxiety, and low mood, and even impacting our immune system. We uncover surprising signs that may indicate dysfunctional breathing and learn practical tools to optimise our breath for better energy, focus, and emotional balance. If you’ve ever felt like something’s “off” but couldn’t quite put your finger on it, this conversation could offer the clarity you’ve been missing.🎧 Tune in to reconnect with the most natural medicine you already have: your breath.

In this episode we dive deep into the world of nutrition tracking apps — asking the big question: should we be using them? We unpack the virtues of food tracking apps, explore when they can support healthy habits, and discuss the moments where they may cross the line into obsession or disordered eating. Jenna opens up about her personal experience with tracking apps as someone in recovery from an eating disorder, offering valuable insight into the nuanced relationship many women have with food and control. Whether you're curious about macros or cautious of calorie counting, this episode offers an honest, compassionate conversation about what it means to fuel your body — without losing your mind.

Ever had an unexpected leak while running or jumping? You’re definitely not alone — and no, it’s not just a “mum thing.” In this episode, we break down exactly why urinary leakage happens during physical activity, what’s really going on with your pelvic floor, and why ignoring it (or giving up the activities you love) isn’t the answer.Join us as we unpack the science behind stress incontinence, bust the myths that keep too many women silent, and — most importantly — share an action plan to help you stay dry, strong, and confident. It’s time to stop normalising leaks and start taking charge of your pelvic health!

Perimenopause gets a bad rap, but it can be just as powerful a season of your life as any. In this empowering episode, we break down what perimenopause really is—from the hormonal shifts to the common (and not so common) signs and symptoms women experience. We explore how training and nutrition can be game-changers in this transitional phase, helping you reduce symptoms, support your hormones, and stay strong, energised, and fit. Whether you’re in your 30s, 40s, or beyond, this episode will give you the tools to take charge of your health and feel powerful in perimenopause and beyond.Rosie Cardale

In this episode, we dive into the real differences between recovery after a vaginal birth and a C-section—what to expect, how long it really takes, and why there’s no one-size-fits-all timeline. We break down the healing process week-by-week, and share a best-practice protocol for safely reintroducing exercise, from gentle movement to high-impact workouts like running. Whether you're weeks or months postpartum, our goal is to empower you with realistic, evidence-based guidance to help you come back as strong as ever

In this episode, Jenna and Rosie are diving deep into a supplement that’s been gaining serious traction in the women’s health space: creatine. Often associated with bodybuilders and bros at the gym, creatine seemingly boasts more benefits than building muscle  —and women may actually benefit more from it than men.We unpack what creatine really is, explore how it can boost athletic performance, brain health and cognition, mood, and even support reproductive health. Backed by the latest clinical studies, we separate the science from the hype and answer the big question: Should women be taking creatine?Plus, we give you practical tips on the best type of creatine to take, how to use it, and what to expect. Whether you're an athlete, in your reproductive years, perimenopausal, or just curious about optimizing your health—this episode is for you.

Rosie and Jenna discuss the new Canadian guidelines on returning to exercise and sport postpartum. We look at what we know, how you can apply them to your situation and what they mean for postnatal recovery

Jenna and Rosie discuss what can feel like the ultimate taboo topic of prolapse - we go through why it happens, what it is and what you can do about it!Have a listen and share with anyone you think would benefit from it

We talk to Lucy from Bristol Hypopressives and both learn so much about this breathing and movement based practice that has really good results for prolapse and pelvic floor dysfunction. Jenna and Rosie ask Lucy about what it is and how she got into it and Lucy leads an introduction session for Jenna and Rosie! Skip ahead to 27 minutes into the episode to be guided through a session with Lucy

Today we talk about how to optimise your rest and recovery and consider this important part of strength at different stages of life

We look at the science of lifting, strength training and weigh lifting and whether it helps or hinders the pelvic floor and how you can use this information in your pelvic floor rehab programme.We hope you'll enjoy the take home tips at the end of the episode so stay tuned until the end!Like, share and subscribe if you have enjoyed it!

We discuss the benefits of cardio training and how you should go about adding this into your workouts and help you understand all the talk there seems to be on zone 2 training and what is important for your overall health. Like, listen, share and subscribe!

We speak to Trish Brown, prop for Bath Rugby Ladies and new Mum on how she managed training during her pregnancy and her return to play postnatally. We discuss managing expectations, how to fit training in around a baby and how her journey back to the pitch has been. Like, share and subscribe for more episodes like this!

Jenna and Rosie discuss the new research paper - High-intensity interval training is an effective exercise mode to maintain normal blood pressure during pregnancy: a randomized control trialListen to understand more

Today Jenna and Rosie discuss how to get and stay strong and what things to consider if you feel like you have been putting in the work and not seeing the results. Like, subscribe and share the podcast if you have been enjoying it

In this episode Jenna and Rosie are joined by Crossfit Master's athlete Emma Leigh and discuss her journey into crossfit and how she has trained in her late 30's and 40's to be at peak physical fitness. Listen, share and subscribe to strong like a woman podcast for more exciting episodes like this

Bristol Bears Women's Team player Dr Phoebe Murray and Attack coach Tom Luke join Jenna and Rosie on the podcast and discuss the rise of women's rugby, what it takes to be a Bristol Bears Women's team player and coach, considerations that the team make for the players menstrual and pelvic health and what the future holds for the game. It is well worth a listen!!

Jenna and Rosie discuss navigating what to look out for and how to find a pelvic health physio or women's coach that will suit your needs at a time in life when you need the right support

Jenna and Rosie discuss what they want to see happen within the world of women's health in 2025. We talk about - Wanting to see more open discussions about women's health - Improving pre and postnatal knowledge and awareness - Discussion on a shift in diet narrative It's well worth a listen and like, save and subscribe if you enjoy our podcast!

We asked you, the listeners, what your most burning women's health questions were! So we answered them! We had lots of interesting topics covering how to maintain habits, can you improve your pelvic health 2-3 years after childbirth and how to recover from a c-section We can't wait to see what 2025 brings to the podcast so save, like and subscribe to join us next year too!

Jenna and I discuss nutrition and fitness goals and how to approach it in the new year or at any other time you want to re-address your health and fitness goals. We talk about how to create easy and manageable changes that are sustainable for life rather than just through the month of January. Like, Share and Subscribe to stay up to date with all of our episode releases

Rosie and Jenna discuss the science and evidence behind what to do about training with your menstrual cycle. It's an area of women's health that gets so much attention, yet the information still seems incredibly confusing so we help you understand what you can consider.

Jenna and Rosie discuss some of their considerations for exercising and training in pregnancy and help you navigate the current research in this area and what it might mean for you. Please like, share and subscribe if you have found this episode useful and also feel free to email us or get in touch via instagram if you have any questions @jennatophamcoach @mae_physiotherapy

Listen to Jenna and Rosie discussing what they view as their non-negotiables for long term optimal health and understanding your body. We discuss what we would suggest to any woman at any age to help improve their long term health.